The Church commemorates one of the greatest Patriarchs of Constantinople and one of the greatest writers and theologians of the Ecumenical Church, Saint Photius the Great.
He was born in AD 820 to a wealthy family who fought for the veneration and restoration of holy icons. He received a great education and excelled in letters and science. He was distinguished for his intelligence, his strong character, his objective judgment and his ethos.
Saint Photius the Great was one of the greatest and most brilliant figures in church and world history. At first, he successfully held high political offices. When Patriarch Ignatius was forcibly removed from the See of Constantinople, Photius was the only hope for the Church to exit from the crisis. Within six days he was ordained deacon, presbyter, and bishop, and set his office and his life in the service of the Church.
He vehemently fought against the various enemies of the Church, and especially against the innovative western Christians, even reaching the demise of Pope Nicholas. However, Emperor Leo deposed Saint Photius, so he ended his turbulent life in exile in a monastery.
He was one of the most prolific authors. He wrote dogmatic, interpretive, moral, ascetic works, as well as letters and hymns. His entire literary work was deservedly described as Myriobiblos. He was called the Great Father and Teacher for his figure and action within the Church.
It is widely acknowledged that Saint Photius was a great hierarch and ecumenical teacher. He represented the Greek Orthodox tradition and education, which aims not only at knowledge transfer and the multilateral cultivation of human being. With his life and teaching, Siant Photius proves that he strove to help everyone by bringing about a solution to the great existential problems and his quests “in spirit and in truth.”
Source: Church of Cyprus